With 27 boats registered in January the fleet is growing steadily for the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race this summer.

“This is a good number for January,” co-race director Karen Tenenbaum of the co-sponsoring Boston Yacht Club said. ‘We’re encouraged that 2021 will be a good year for The Halifax.”

One of the early boats to enter is Polaris, a dark blue Sydney 47, recently acquired from Australia by nine-time Newport Bermuda racer Will Passano. He says he and his crew of friends from Maryland had outgrown Carina, his well-prepared J/37. He’ll sail the new boat with a crew of 10, up from eight on the J/37. “The biggest adjustment for our crew,” he said, “will be the bigger sails and faster speeds.”

Adding to the international flavor of the race is Black Pearl which is a newly launched Botin 56. It is a German yacht heavily optimized for offshore racing skippered by Stefan Jentzsch.

Sail testing the new Black Pearl last August

For the first time in its storied history, the MHOR committee hopes to start a single handed fleet. “Single Handed is growing more popular in racing circles,” said Richard Hinterhoeller of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, co-race director of the event. “We are hoping there will be enough interest and entries to add this class. "Competitors interested in the new single-handed competition are asked to contact [email protected] at their earliest convenience."

Planning has been underway for the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean race to start July 11, 2021 at the mouth of Marblehead Harbor. “We are cautiously optimistic that the Covid-19 pandemic will be manageable by July to enable the race to continue as planned” BYC Commodore Tom Mager said.